Trump Campaign Collusion with Russia in its Interference in the 2016 US Presidential Election

US Actions Against Russia

Magnitsky

In response to the death of Russian tax accountant Sergei Magnitsky in 2009, the US passed The Russia and Moldova Jackson–Vanik Repeal and Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012. The Magnitsky Act imposed visa and banking restrictions on Russian officials implicated in related human rights abuses, intending to punish those responsible for Magnitsky’s death. Wiki

Ukraine

In response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea and additional violence in eastern Ukraine, the US imposed punitive sanctions on Russia. At least six rounds of sanctions enacted from 2014-2016 primarily targeted Russia’s energy, financial, and defense companies. In addition, the US passed the Ukraine Freedom Support Act of 2014, restricting Russian state firms from receiving western financing and technology, and providing arms and military equipment to Ukraine. Source; Wiki

As part of these US sanctions, on April 28, 2014, the US Treasury Dept. announced sanctions against seven Russian government officials and 17 entities, including against Igor Sechin, leader of Russian state-owned petroleum company Rosneft. “Sechin has shown utter loyalty to Vladimir Putin – a key component to his current standing.” Source

On August 3, 2016, US Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson proposed designating the electronic ballot-casting system for the elections as “critical infrastructure,” which would provide State elections with streamlined access to classified threat information sharing, opportunities for added training, etc. Source

On August 4, 2016, CIA director John Brennan warned Alexander Bortnikov, director of Russia’s FSB, not to meddle in the US election, saying that such interference would not only damage relations between the countries, but it would also backfire against Russia. Source

In October 2016, Barack Obama contacted the Kremlin on a back channel “red phone” to complain about the hacking, offering detailed documents of what it said was Russia’s role in election meddling, and to warn that the attacks risked setting off a broader conflict. Source

On October 7, 2016, the Obama administration formally accused Russia of election-related hacking activity, including stealing and disclosing DNC emails, and “scanning and probing” election rolls in states across the country. Source

On November 10, 2016, just days after the election, the US government officially, publicly accused Russia of conducting a hacking campaign to interfere with the US election. Source

Also on November 10, 2016, President Obama warned President-elect Trump against hiring Michael Flynn. Source

On December 28–29, 2016, in response to Russia’s interference in the US election, President Barack Obama expelled 35 Russian diplomats from the US as intelligence operatives, seized two Russian compounds, and imposed additional economic sanctions on Russia (on top of the Ukraine sanctions and the Magnitsky Act). Source1Source2

In the final days of the Obama administration, concerned that the incoming Trump administration would cover up or destroy intelligence about Russia’s interference in the election (and presumably the Trump campaign’s collusion), White House officials acted to preserve the intelligence by spreading the intelligence across the government. Source